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Overview

This Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter lets you connect your mDP computer to a VGA monitor or projector. The adapter works with Mini DisplayPort computers like your MacBook or Microsoft® Surface.

Easily connect your Mini DisplayPort computer to a VGA display

The mDP to VGA adapter lets you connect your Mini DisplayPort laptop, desktop or tablet to a VGA display. The adapter is compatible with mDP ports as well as Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 I/O ports, and supports plug-and-play connectivity ensuring a hassle-free setup.

Works with legacy VGA monitors

The Mini DisplayPort adapter makes your mDP computer fully compatible with existing VGA monitors or projectors in your home or around your office. The VGA connector features nuts that mate with the screws on standard VGA cables, to ensure your video cable won’t get disconnected.

The perfect travel companion for your MacBook with Mini DisplayPort

With its all-white design, this Mini DisplayPort video adapter is the perfect travel accessory for your MacBook with mDP. The adapter is compact and lightweight so it fits easily into your MacBook bag or carrying case, which is great for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) applications at the office. While the adapter looks great next your Mac it also works with any Mini DisplayPort computer, such as your Windows® laptop.

Crystal-clear picture quality

With support for video resolutions up to 1920x1200 or 1080p, you’ll be surprised at the picture quality the adapter provides, even when connected to a legacy VGA monitor, projector or television. The adapter harnesses the video capabilities built into your mDP connection to deliver every detail in stunning high-definition.

The MDP2VGAW is backed by a 2-year StarTech.com warranty and free lifetime technical support.

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When you convert video from a source that uses DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort to DVI or HDMI (for example, a computer to a monitor), you will need to consider the difference between passive and active adapters.

If the source supports dual-mode DisplayPort (also known as DP++), then you can use a passive adapter because the source can perform the conversion. If the source does not support DP++, then you need to use an active converter, which includes additional chips to perform the conversion.

Thunderbolt ports support DP++ natively. To run multiple monitors from the same computer, refer to the Active Adapters section below.

Passive Adapters

Passive adapters are less expensive since they do not need to include additional chips. A quick way to check whether you can use a passive adapter is to see if the DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort source has the DP++ symbol above it. The symbol is a D with a P inside of it, with two + signs to the left, one on top of the other.

Active Adapters

Active adapters use additional chips to make the conversion inside the adapter, regardless of whether the source supports DP++. This means that active adapters are more expensive than passive adapters.

If you want to use multiple monitors with the same computer, you should use an active adapter because some video cards cannot run the maximum number of monitors while using DP++. This is especially true if the computer has more than one DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort connection. Check with your video card manufacturer to confirm which type of adapter you need for the setup that you would like to run.

Note: You should use passive adapters with StarTech.com MST hubs, except when you are converting from DisplayPort to VGA, since that type of conversion requires active adapters. For more information on using adapters with StarTech.com MST hubs, refer to the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/mst_hubs_passive_vs_active_adapters.

Surface Dock

If you experience issues when you connect passive video signal adapters to the Surface Dock, Microsoft recommends that you use active video signal converters instead. StarTech.com offers an active video signal converter for DVI monitors (MDP2DVIS) and for HDMI monitors (MDP2HD4KS).

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Installation

This device is plug and play. It does not use any drivers, and does not require any setup tasks other than plugging in the source (for example, a computer) and the destination (for example, a monitor).

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Troubleshooting

When you troubleshoot issues with a video adapter, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:

Video cables

Video adapter

Video source (such as a DVD player or computer)

Video destination (such as a monitor or projector)

To test your setup components, try the following:

Use the cable, video adapter, video source, and video destination in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.

Use a different cable, video adapter, video source, and video destination in your setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.

When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:

Test each cable individually.

Use short cables when you are testing.

When you test the video source and video destination, it is recommended that you do the following:

Remove the video adapter from your setup and test to make sure that the video source and video destination work together without the video adapter.

Test to make sure that the video source and video destination work together at the resolution that you want to use.

Note: In order for your setup to work properly, the video source, adapter, and destination all need to support the resolution that you are using.

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The error “Out of Range” normally means that the resolution being output by the computer is not compatible with the display. Try lowering the resolution to see if that helps resolve the issue. You may need to connect another monitor or restart the computer or source to accomplish this.

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This is likely a High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) issue. If you are converting a video signal from a device that can play copyright-protected content, HDCP will block the conversion to an analog signal (for example, VGA) or to any video capture cards.

Some video cards also output an HDCP signal full time. In this case there should be an option for your video card to disable this feature. You might need to contact the manufacturer of your video card for more information.

Adhering to HDCP is required for converting all digital signals to analog signals or to video capture cards. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do in these situations other than convert to a digital display.